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Let’s talk about photos! Nowadays, people capture every moment, whether big or small, in their lives. It begins with the special occasions they share with family, moments they want to remember when they look at these photographs in the future. Some photos are posed, while others are taken spontaneously. Then, there are all those snapshots taken for various reasons that often end up unused but consume a significant portion of our smartphone storage.
Today, we'd like to focus on a category of photos that encompass a wide range of moments - both staged and candid, taken without warning, resulting in humorous images. Awkward Family Photos is dedicated to curating the best images where the photographer has managed to capture hilarious family portraits. Some of these shots haven't aged well and look cringe-worthy today. On the other hand, others freeze time in the most awkward of moments, earning their place in the selection of images we've prepared for you today.
For more insights into family photos, we reached out to Ian Weldon, a British photographer who specializes in documenting weddings in a very original way. To learn more, scroll down and read our interview.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Our Deaf Cattle Dog Has No Idea He Farts All The Time And Here's Our Daughter Reacting To His Latest Burst Of Gas
RELATED:
#2
This Picture Was Taken At My Daughter’s Preschool. I Think The Photographer Thought Having Her Hold A Flower Would Make For A Really Cute And Innocent Picture
#3
Hi, I’m Jenn And I Sold My First House At Only 3 Years Old
Bored Panda got in touch with Ian Weldon to discuss his perspective on awkward photographs. If you're not familiar with his work, this UK-based photographer has a distinct approach to capturing wedding moments. In an age where many tend to create a somewhat artificial reality in their photos, often staging shots, overlooking details, and eliminating flaws, more people are realizing that these images may lack authenticity.
Through candid shots, Ian Weldon captures the most natural moments of the events he documents. If you're curious about how Weldon's photos differ from the majority of other wedding photographers, be sure to check out some of the Bored Panda posts where we've previously featured his work.
#4
My Two-Year-Old Daughter Drew A Pillow With Chalk, Then Laid Down For A Nap
#5
Fun For All The Family
Skyla King 1 year ago
Once my brother got pushed down a whole flight of stairs, rolling underneath a beanbag. When he hit the ground, he asked to do it again.
#6
My Mom And Dad In Dc In The Late 80s
The Awkward Family Photos page on Instagram frequently showcases photos that resonate with nostalgia and relatability. We asked Ian if the candid wedding photos can also evoke these emotions. Weldon told us: “Yes, definitely. Candid photography can certainly have unexpected elements that evoke nostalgia. I think we are so used to seeing perfectly crafted photographs - especially from weddings - that when we come across one that isn’t perfect it stands out, it can be reminiscent of a family snapshot or amateur holiday photograph.”
#7
Our Parents Used To Tell My Only Brother And Me That We Used To Have Another Brother Who Turned Into A Mushroom From Not Taking A Bath. Even Added Him To The Family Albums
#8
My Great-Grandmother After Wrapping Her Skoda Around A Tree
#9
My Family Went On A Trip To Maine During The Summer And Decided To Take Family Photos. Maybe It Was Very Windy But Everyone Looks Catalog Perfect And Then…there’s Me
I heart Boo-BI-es 1 year ago
This is one of those pics that either your siblings post to embarrass you or you're cropped out completely. Maybe she got sand in her eye??
We were wondering how the photographer from the UK interprets the term "awkward" within the context of candid wedding photos. Ian shared with us: “Awkward can come in many forms, from a look to a gesture to an uncomfortable situation, but it's mostly down to our own perception. I have many seemingly ‘awkward’ wedding photographs but in reality, they are from very normal situations. A moment caught by the camera that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. I just happen to enjoy finding those moments, those unexpected elements that can elevate the photograph to something else and ultimately make you laugh.”
#10
These Are My Dad’s Baby Pictures. He Was Born An Old Man
#11
My Husband’s High School Goth/Emo/Photoshop Phase Is An Untapped Goldmine
#12
My Sister On Her Wedding Day
Awkward Family Photos often highlight humorous and unscripted moments. We wanted to know if Weldon could describe a candid moment from a wedding he’s photographed that he found particularly funny or endearing. We found out that: “I have a couple of favorite photographs that, often because of the situation, seem even more awkward. Funny faces being pulled during speeches can always make you wonder what had been said or stern looks during the ceremony can make you question whether everyone is actually that happy about the union.
When lots of people drink lots of alcohol silly things tend to happen, but it's just people being people. It's just life, and that's awkward enough.”
#13
Junior High Is Hard Enough Without Your Mother Buying You A Bright Red Monogrammed Sweater With Your Initials
#14
I Show My Boyfriend One Picture From My Childhood And Suddenly Reproducing With Me Is Off The Table
#15
My Mall Glamour Shots From 1997 Where I Look Like A Woman Who Just Cashed Her Husband’s Life Insurance Check
GlassHalfWay 1 year ago
In high school, some girls got their senior photos done at Glamour Shots. It did make em look like newly divorced women all glammed up. Their expressions were so serious 🤣
#16
My Dad And I Getting Ready For A Road Trip In The Summer Of ’86.
Nae Nae BB 1 year ago
Well, it's important to use the bathroom before a long road trip. Although, I usually took the potty chair for my son to use after we were on the road, not while we were home lol
#17
My Daughter Was Having A Tantrum, And Hid Her Face Under A Pillow. The Results Were Divine!
#18
My Sisters And I Were Professionally Photographed With Identical Dolls In Matching Prairie Dresses
#19
My Uncle And My Dad Posing On A Nissan 300 Zx, Late 80s
#20
I Told My Dad I Wanted To Be An Ear For Halloween. He Really Came Through
#21
2nd Grade, 1985. Was I Going To Recess Or Into The Typing Pool?
#22
When My Son Hopped On The Bed And His Elbow Nailed Me Right On My C-Section Incision
#23
We Didn’t Have Much Money In 1977 But That Didn’t Stop Mom From Giving Us Our Wish To Be C3p0 And R2-D2 That Halloween
Spocks's Mom 1 year ago (edited)
Omg. When I was about 5 or 6, I wanted to be Dolly Parton for Halloween. My mom let me. I had makeup, a blonde wig, cowboy boots, and big balloon... um... you know. All the neighbors got a good laugh. 😔
1 year ago
My mom hand made me a R2 costume. Paper mache, baby!! I tried to wear it many, many years after and I almost got stuck. Thank you mom!
Danish Susanne 1 year ago
It really doesn't take a lot of money, just ingenuity, and some work.
#24
I Won A Cutest Baby Award At A Local Health Foods Store And This Was The Photoshoot That I Won. Thank You, Mom And Dad
#25
This Is How I Found My Husband And Son After A Diaper Change. Neither Was Aware Anything Was Amiss. It Still Makes Me Laugh 10 Years Later
#26
My Great-Grandmother Worked For A Photography Studio In The 80’s. She Was Watching Us One Day And Decided To Surprise My Mother With Professional Photos Of The Three Of Us
This gem was one of the pictures. It’s safe to say that my mother never put this one in a photo frame and it’s the center of family laughter when we bring out the photo albums around the holidays. I love how my sisters look so cute in the corner of the photo while I am in a food coma floating in the sky
#27
My Brother And I Took A Pony Ride At The Whaling City Festival In The 80s And The Pony Ride Operator Had Swagger
#28
My Mom's Bed Hung From Chains, And She Had A Mini Bar For A Headboard. 1972
#29
My Halloween Costume In 1992: Spaghetti And Clam Sauce. There’s A Big Plexiglass Fork On The Side Sticking Up. My Dad Dribbled Real Clam Juice All Over Me So No One Would Get Too Close At The Middle School Dance
Nae Nae BB 1 year ago
Not sure how people would have been able to get that close anyway with how big the costume is. The clam juices were a moot point lol
#30
This Was My Christening, June 1971. I’m The Baby Obviously, My Godmother Is Holding Me, My Parents Are Next To Her. Their Hideous Outfits Aren’t The “Awkward” Part Of This Photo. In The Background, My Grandmother Is Pulling My Sister’s Hair While My Brother Is Recovering From A Smack! All Of This Right On The Front Steps Of A Church
#31
This Is The Epic 1984 Egg Hunt Fight On My Aunt And Uncle’s Front Lawn In Long Beach, Ca Between Me And My Brother
I heart Boo-BI-es 1 year ago (edited)
You know she meant business when she threw her equivalent to a purse on the ground.. it's on m**o! 🤣 Edit: censored word Mòfò
#32
So My Aunt Casually Tells Me That She Once Found A Ton Of Skeletons In Her Garden
#33
My Dad (Sitting In Bench, Right) With His Rock Star Wedding Party Just Rockin’ That Hair. 1987
#34
My Dad Hid A Camera To Find Out Why The Cats Kept Sneaking Into My Old Bedroom After I'd Left For College
#35
Me Being An Uber Goth Teenage Posing Next To Tombstones Unknowingly Covering The ‘S’ In ‘Sweeney.’ Kind Of Ruined The Mood Of The Photo!
#36
This Was The Gem Of My High School Senior Picture Portfolio. At The Time, The Effect Was Cutting Edge. Now I Like To Tell My Kids That I Had To Skate Really Fast To Look That Dumb
#37
My Husband’s 6 Sisters. I Believe They Were Going For A Serious Pose, A ‘Sears Sophisticated’ Style
GlassHalfWay 1 year ago
They look like they're waiting in line to use a public bathroom. Those lines can be obnoxious
#38
This Is A Photo Of My Daughter And Her Father Riding The Tennessee Tornado Roller Coaster At Dollywood. When We Saw The Photo At The Sales Kiosk, We Laughed So Hard We Just Had To Buy It!
Nae Nae BB 1 year ago
The moment kiddos eyes popped out of her head, a moment to remembered forever. Of course, daughter can no longer see the photo, but she can be told all about it s/
#39
Here’s My Mom And Dad In September 1970. This Was Always My Favorite Photo From Their Wedding Because It’s Just So Cornball. You Have To Give Credit To The Photographer For The Picture Of My Dad In The TV. This Was Years Before Photoshop, So I’m Not Sure How The Heck He Pulled This Trick Off
#40
My School Photo From The 80s. My Mullet Was Fashioned After The 1982 Happy Birthday Barbie And My Glasses Are Decorated With Decals Picked Out From The Decal Book At The Optical Shop
#41
My Husband Presenting The “Gymnastics” Themed Birthday Cake To Our Daughter But The Cake Looks More Like A Party Cake For A Private Club
#42
My Grandma Has A Spatula She Uses To Move Around Completed Sections Of Her Puzzle
Kelly H. Wilder 1 year ago
Smart! Especially if she has any fine motor difficulties. I may try this with my son.
#43
My Younger Sister Was Taking Family Pictures For Me, And She Managed To Catch The Exact Moment That A Bug Flew In My Face!
#44
This Is My Pre-School Picture. I Had A Fit And Would Not Get My Picture Taken Unless I Could Put My Belt On My Head. So My Mom Did What She Had To Do
#45
My Mum Wanted Me To Hold Our Cat Up To Demonstrate How Big He Is And He Is Clearly Stoked
#46
Holding My Mom's Cigarette While She Zips My Coat
#47
This Miraculous Photo Is Of My Darling Dear Mother, In The 80’s, With What Is Obviously A Cutout Of The Great Thomas Sullivan Magnum. The Best Part Of This Photo Is The Glasses, But, The Second Best Part Is The Fact That My Mom Refuses To Admit That It Is A Cutout
#48
My Beautiful Boyfriend’s School Photo When He Was A Teenager…glad I Did Not Know That Hedgehog At That Time
#49
My Son Made A Nice Little Mother’s Day Booklet For Me When He Was In Grade One. I Must Have Been Having A Rough Month
#50
When My Parents Were Getting Their Portraits Taken, The Photographer Had An Idea. My Mom Wore A Tube Top And My Dad Took His Shirt Off
The photographer even entered this in a photography contest and won. He gave them a copy of the photo for posing for him, but what he truly gave us is an amazing captured moment that made me wonder if this is what married life is like. I saw this picture every day hanging up in their bedroom
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What do you think ?
Goose of the Ahonkalypse 1 year ago
You bet. I suspect overlined lips, duck face selfies, and the mom jeans resurgence will be part of it. But really anything super trendy often ends up being a bit funny years down the road.
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Goose of the Ahonkalypse 1 year ago
You bet. I suspect overlined lips, duck face selfies, and the mom jeans resurgence will be part of it. But really anything super trendy often ends up being a bit funny years down the road.
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